Comments on: Wilderness Survival: Know Your Distress Signals

By: djones

djones — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:57:44 +0000

The signal mirror with a hole doesn’t work well. Instead signal with one hand while holding the other hand out stretched holding two fingers up (peace sign or hookum horns style) with the target between the up raised fingers . If the flashes of sunlight goes back and forth across the fingers it is hitting the target too…
credit :Cody Lundin , he has a good book

By: T-Bagg

T-Bagg — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:21:33 +0000

A CD can work as a signal mirror; You can use the opening in the center to aim the flash. I did this just last week to signal a boat. I wasn’t stranded just signalling my buddy for the pick up.

By: AmateurRadio

AmateurRadio — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:45:38 +0000

I’m noting that Chris was talking about a desert island. You’re there; you’re alone; he’s not talking about lack of food or water. He’s talking about getting rescuers’ attention to get back home. Perhaps you start off with signals in one place (where you crawled out of the drink) and move, looking for a more beneficial place to set up whatever you need.

But since we’re digressing, Tyler S is correct: as a rule, it’s better to stay put, signal, and keep a spirited will to survive. It doesn’t matter what that will is based on; it could be pure cantankerousness: “they’ll have to KILL me before I die!” or it could be something like obligation to family, to things you want to do before you die, or to some combination. It could even be something ridiculous: “I have to live long enough to see “them Dodgers” win. Whatever makes you feel the need to live, keep living on it.

Thomas says he’d be desiccated if he hadn’t moved. It could be true. Most people who intentionally go into the wilderness have some idea of the large landmarks (roads, rivers, distinctive mountains, etc). Obviously, Thomas is one of these, at least on the referenced incident. Let’s point up that Lindsay Lohan would be lost in a forest of three trees, while her navigation of courthouses would probably put wilderness survivalists to shame. A man’s got to know his limitations. If you don’t understand navigation or the terrain you’re in, STOP! (Stop, Think, Observe, Plan).

Staying put and signaling is statistically more successful for those who are truly lost.

don Roberto makes a very meaningful point: if you’re saved, deconstruct your distress signals or arrange for their deconstruction. It’s not right to let others endanger themselves to save you if you are already saved.

Three is indeed the international distress signal. Anything in threes should make anyone observing them pique a concern. Chris is right on this and on the matter of triangles. Obviously, not every triangle or set of three is a distress signal (i.e., bird hunters are not allowed to magazine more than three rounds, so you might hear three bangs that are not a distress signal. But if there’s any other oddity, maybe it’s something to check).

However, I must take issue with Chris on calling this the “rule of threes.” The Rule of Threes is a means of prioritizing activity when you are trapped or lost. “Three minutes without air; three hours without shelter; three days without water; three weeks without food.” Some add “three seconds without hope” and/or “three months without love.” Three is not always correct, but it does put things in perspective: if you’re in a true survival situation, and you are not without air and not bleeding to death, establish functional shelter. You can fuss with the rest later. If it could happen that a search will start for you in less than a day or two, it probably won’t be before you’d be long since done establishing shelter. Get the shelter going.

By: Henri

Henri — Fri, 27 May 2011 19:41:15 +0000

@ Mike @ Thomas – yes, putting together your comments and adding my own – when moving in a survival situation, one should always leave contrasting marks behind if possible with explanation letters of the ordeal but also use the SOS sequence of 3 marks 3 times – lets say three rocks in a line and three lines in a row with a arrow pointing to the direction of travel or hideout location.

The tree torch is new to me – a great idea!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:17:20 +0000

I think one of the most obvious and easily doable ones was left out. Writing the letters SOS on the ground with a contrasting material. Maybe rocks, or wood on a grassy clearing, a can of bright yellow paint on virtually any surface, anything else you can think of. Make the letters 15 feet tall, and an airplane can easily read it.

By: TubbyMike

TubbyMike — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:10:54 +0000

Strangely, I have an old (read not-smart) phone, a Sony Ericsson, with a built in camera flash that can be set to signal SOS, but my new iPhone doesn’t have this capability. I guess there’s an “app for that” but I can’t see how flashing SOS on a screen would be as visible as doing the same with a camera flash light. Ah, the march of technology.

By: don Roberto

don Roberto — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:18:48 +0000

Two things: one nifty, one really important.

First, the new Mini-Maglites have four settings: two brightness settings, a strobe setting, and an SOS setting! Invaluable.

Second, if you make it out of the wilderness by yourself, your last communication must be to make sure anyone looking for you knows you’re safe. Don’t be so grateful to be home that you collapse in front of Cash Cab while someone’s out there risking life and limb looking for you.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 25 May 2011 21:35:33 +0000

I was stuck in the wilderness once and kept moving relentlessly in the direction I knew there was a road. I finally reached the road. If I had just sat where I was, I’d still be there, albeit in the form of a desiccated skeleton.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 25 May 2011 07:25:19 +0000

I was lost in the Philippine Sea for almost three weeks this past January. Tyler is right on both accounts, but not losing the will to survive was probably the biggest thing for us. By keeping a positive attitude, we were able to keep our morale high and that made all the difference in the end. Additionally, I’ve had more scrapes with death than I ever wished to have while deployed, but the will to survive helped me come home every time.

By: Tyler S

Tyler S — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:52:25 +0000

I am a survival guide and teach classes on wilderness/swamp survival. There are two number 1 rules: Do not go wandering around, stay put; never lose the will to survive. You must understand that moving around makes it harder to pinpoint where you might be. People know you are missing and they will try to find you, it doesn’t help if you are constantly changing position (what if they checked there already). Also, never lose the will to survive, whatever thought you need to keep you pushing forward, never lose it. There is a story where a man was stranded in the desert and beat the odds for weeks. He finally got rescued by signaling a plan with the rear-view mirror from his car. They asked him, “what kept you going.” He replied, “I’m going through a rough divorce and will be damned if my wife gets all of my stuff if I die.”

Also, rescuers know what the turnaine, trails, areas, etc. are supposed to look like. Leave clues by making things out of place and if you do have to move, leave make-shift arrows pointing the way you went.